ROCK’s December Launch Photos and Video

December, 2014, ROCK LaunchROCK held its last launch of 2014 on December 6.  The light winds and moderate temperature made for a great day to fly. The countdown reached zero and a rocket soared skyward more than eighty times during the day.

I’ve uploaded the photos Bracha and I took of the launch to a Photo Album at RocketReviews.com.  Below is a video I created using some of the photos and footage captured from my quadcopter.

ROCK’S July 5, 2014, Launch

JonRocket.com Celebrates Five Years

It’birthday-cake-mds been five years since Roger and Bracha Smith took over the reigns of the online model rocketry retailer, JonRocket.com. To thank all of their customers for supporting the business, JonRocket.com is holding a sale event which runs through July 8.

Almost everything at JonRocket.com is on sale with savings of up to 50% off the store’s regular low prices.  As always, orders of $48 or more to US addresses ship for free while Florida residents can get free shipping on orders of $20 or more by entering the discount code FLORIDA at checkout.

Photos from the April ROCK Launch

I flew my quadcopter at the April, 2014, ROCK launch capturing aerial photos of the event.  Visit the April ROCK Launch photo album at RocketReviews.com to view the collection of photographs.

ROCK Launch

 

ROCK’s March Launch

High winds threatened to spoil an otherwise perfect day for rocket launching.

But, we monitored the wind speed and launched during the pauses between the gusts.

Tom tested the winds by flying his Lawn Dart.  It landed not too far from the launch pads.  Then Tom flew his latest creation, No Stack.

Tom’s cardboard creation performed a few aerobatic loops after leaving the launch rod.  

Between the gusts of wind, Carl Campbell snuck a few launches of prototypes for upcoming scale kits from DFR Tech.

We were once again visited by an eagle which accompanied a flock of turkey buzzards circling over our launch site for a few minutes.

Ton Tweit launched his FlisKit’s Nell twice. The first time, the igniter leads caught on the bottom of the rocket and it barely left the launch rod.  The second time, it flew well on a B motor.

When I first saw the new little plastic Coke bottles, my first thought was … that would make a neat rocket.  Someone else had the same idea, but actually did it.

Tom T’s Pink Crayon was not the last launch of the day, but Bracha, Oscar, and I had to leave a little early, so it’s the last launch we saw.

You can view the rest of my photos of the March ROCK Launch in the RocketReviews.com Photo Album.

ROCK’s July Launch

Light winds produced a good day for flying rockets as ROCK held its monthly launch on July 7.

Brian delivered the safety briefing then announced the first flight.

The two-stage Estes Solar headed straight up.  But, just as the first stage motor burned out, it …

… took a sharp left turn.  Then ….

 … the second stage motor fired sending the two stages off in opposite directions.

 

Our launch pads sported new number signs designed and printed by Klages Kreations and donated to the club by Bracha and I.

Several Big Daddy rockets took to the sky including the “Scout Dad” and the …

“Peanut Butter and Jelly.”

Two scale Mercury Redstone rockets flew; one right after the other.

Please visit the ROCK Launch Photo Album at RocketReviews.com to see more photographs of the July ROCK launch.

ROCK’s June 2012 Launch

After a couple of scrubbed launches due to dry weather, ROCK returned to fill the skies with rockets in June.

Flyers were anxious to turn in their flight cards and take their rockets to the launch pads.

One of the first rockets to fly carried a passenger – a single Love Bug.  I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one fly solo before. I don’t think I’ve seen one do anything solo before.

In spite of the very hot weather, we had a number of people show up to fly a variety of rockets including some cluster-powered birds.

Some odd-rocs also flew including an homage to my favorite sandwich, the Fluffernutter!

Tom Tweit, who I met at the Maker Faire, showed up and launched one of his crayon rockets.

One of the rockets landed inside our JonRocket.com trailer.  I gave the owner a good deal when I sold it back to him.

As the skies grew a little more cloudy, Tom Tweit launched his Bull Pup.

Additional photos of the June ROCK launch are in the June 2012 ROCK Launch Photo Album at RocketReviews.com.

 

R.O.C.K. is GO FOR LAUNCH on June, 2012

After two months of cancelled launches due to dry conditions, Orlando’s R.O.C.K. has been cleared to hold its monthly model rocket launch on Saturday, June 2, at the club’s regular launch site.

Because the risk of fire is still a higher than normal, the state forestry department has asked the club to limit the number of vehicles parked on the field.  Therefore, attendees are asked to park int he designated parking area at the entrance to the park.  Parking along Barr Street will not be permitted.

ROCK’s launch begins at about 9:30am and usually lasts until the early afternoon.  For more information about the club and directions to their launch site, please visit the club’s web site.